A-7 Nostalgia

[PRB]

As I sit here in my empty house, contemplating my journey (which starts tomorrow) to Washington State, my new home, I get a face book notification from Ralph Overmyer, who was the Maintenance Master Chief of VA-94 while I was in that squadron, from 1982 to 1985. He was one of the best leaders I have ever known, and I’ve always had so much respect for that man. The last time I spoke to him was in 1994, when we were both leaving the navy. My most vivid memory of him was one morning, as a young and inexperienced work center supervisor, he chewed my butt out (in private, outside next to one of our jets) because one of my guys, during the night shift, left the computer panel sitting in the console of a jet with no screws holding it down, and a couple washers laying on top. I was trying to defend my guys, but I didn’t have all the facts at the time. He did. He never raised his voice one single time, ever, but our “conversation” was, shall we say, profound… I never forgot that. He was (is) a good man and a great leader. And tonight we chatted about old times for the first time in sixteen years. That was cool.

[Navy Chief]

Paul,

Great story; thanks for sharing. I am in contact with a former MCPO also, and often talk to him about our time, working together in VA-15.... Let me know how your move goes. Good luck. I am so envious!

Pete

[Willy]

As a "black shoe, knuckle dragging snipe", I didn't get to play with airplanes other than have to go around and between them in the hanger bay on the Lexington while doing my engineman thing. But it seemed like we always had an A-7 or two around. (along with the T-2s, C-1s, TA-4s and A-6s)

[tigisfat]

Sometimes I feel like I've missed out on a lot of cool military traditions being a crew chief (or plane captain, for you navy guys). We (not just me) never had the same kinds of respectful relationships with our SNCOs. Sure, I had a few SNCOs I befriended over the years, and many I had great working relationships with, but I never once heard a crew chief talk about how much they respected a SNCO and how grateful they were for their guidance. Our job rarely took us inside buildings where the SNCOs with no experience on our weapons system rode desks.......we spent virtually all of our time on flightlines around the world with little or no leadership. More times than I could count I was a detachment commander/NCOIC at E-5. That means I was out somewhere with a team of guys that I outranked and we just made things happen. In the USAF B-1 world, if you're an E-4 or E-5 who's a hot troop, noone around knows better than you. It just shouldn't be that way. There should always be someone outranking the junior enlisted that displays far greater technical proficiency and demonstrates the values of a military man and great leader. If nothing else, it inspired me to always try to be someone that my subordinates could look up to and come to for technical knowledge and ability superior to their own. For lack of better words, sometimes I never even felt like I was in the military. It's a lonely world out there rotting on the flightline and being the highest ranking dude around as a junior NCO. PRB, thank you for sharing that. One of my only regrets is the lack of what you had.

Don't get me wrong, I was never a dissenter. I was always 'go USAF' and I was on top of my job. I've won more awards than any crew chief I've ever met. It's just that we had a strained relationship with our SNCOs. They really don't bring anything other than executive decision making to the table, and their lack of weapons system specific knowledge often made it feel as if they were a burden. The current political climate meant you had two kinds of E-7 crew chiefs in the USAF. Those that care about nothing and are waiting to retire quietly without bringing attention to themselves, and those that sit in offices selling subordinates down the river to jockey for the next rank. Often times both types are cool guys that are fun and easy to get along with, but respect for them is hard to muster up. E-8 and E-9 crew chiefs are only the latter type of SNCO. I've never ONCE met different.

Not everyone here can likely identify with what I've said above, but hopefully you identify with this sentiment: You only have a brief amount of time in the military. It's but a flashing period of your life even if you serve an entire career. It's so fast that you have almost no time to truly serve your country. You have to spend that time right........You have to be the most proficient and capable person around you and always fight to keep things the way they should be. When many around you have motives other than truly serving their country in the best ways possible, you still have to press on to be the beacon of responsibility, professionalism and hope. Maybe I burned myself out early and left with a crippled body, but I spent virtually all of my nine years in at war and I know I did right by my country and USAF with my actions. If anyone else can't say the same about their time in the service, then I feel sorry for them and hope they regret it. I can also only hope that I left an impression with my crews of what it was like to truly serve.

[Roadburner440]

Well in my community (HSL) we get the best/worst of both worlds. Having to be a qualified plane captain, and fully qualified in your rate. You are responsible for both ends of the job. That must of been a bad morning trying to defend your sailor after leaving the washers and stuff out. I have been in front of the MMCPO a number of times myself defending personal decisions on jobs. When the book leaves that gray area though I always find it best to be conservative, and they usually do not like that. I imagine though if a part were to fall off in flight, or the bird crashed it would be a different story. I guess that is the never ending battle between maitenance department and maintenance control. Maintenance control is pushing for birds to make the flight schedule, and we are trying to push to get the work done and also save our hides, lol. I don't think I could ever imagine staying in contact with my MMCPO, or CMC.. but then again if both of you were Cheifs then that is probably the reason you guys like to stay in contact with them. :ernae:

[Daveroo]

seems i missed out on alot...stupid fireman

[Willy]

When I was an young Petty Officer, there were some Chiefs that I came to really look up to. They were the ones I tried to emulate when I became a Chief. I hope I was successful.

[smilo]

at the risk of being a bit premature,
may I welcome you to your new home.
I hope your stay here
will be a good one.

have a safe trip

[tigisfat]

Well in my community (HSL) we get the best/worst of both worlds. Having to be a qualified plane captain, and fully qualified in your rate. You are responsible for both ends of the job. That must of been a bad morning trying to defend your sailor after leaving the washers and stuff out. I have been in front of the MMCPO a number of times myself defending personal decisions on jobs. When the book leaves that gray area though I always find it best to be conservative, and they usually do not like that. I imagine though if a part were to fall off in flight, or the bird crashed it would be a different story. I guess that is the never ending battle between maitenance department and maintenance control. Maintenance control is pushing for birds to make the flight schedule, and we are trying to push to get the work done and also save our hides, lol. I don't think I could ever imagine staying in contact with my MMCPO, or CMC.. but then again if both of you were Cheifs then that is probably the reason you guys like to stay in contact with them. :ernae:

I understand 100%. You get it from both ends. Pressure to do it right, and pressure to break the rules in the name of speed and efficiency. Unfortunately, when dealing with one of the most expensive weapons systems ever built, a class 'A' incident is one dropped tool away. It takes nothing to cause 1 million dollars of damage to a B-1. When the war kicked off we started getting a lot more pressure to do things the wrong way, and lots of people got hurt. Many crew chiefs took convoy duties where they came under fire every single day just to "get away from the flightline."

[Panther_99FS]

Sometimes I feel like I've missed out on a lot of cool military traditions being a crew chief (or plane captain, for you navy guys). We (not just me) never had the same kinds of respectful relationships with our SNCOs. .

Gotta disagree with you here....Sounds like a problem in your prior unit and not indicative across the USAF...Case in point, when I was with EC-130s, the crew chiefs had extremely respectful relationships with the SNCO's...

[Panther_99FS]

And now getting back to the subject matter,
Having been stationed with, deployed with, & exercised with the USN on numerous occasions, I must state that those experiences have been some of the most fun in my career.......Even had the opportunity to work with a CPO & SCPO during one exercise.....And I definitely admire/like the way the USN handles their SNCOs...:salute:

[tigisfat]

Gotta disagree with you here....Sounds like a problem in your prior unit and not indicative across the USAF...Case in point, when I was with EC-130s, the crew chiefs had extremely respectful relationships with the SNCO's...

Panther,

This is after nine years of varying units and travelling the planet meeting other crew chiefs in on deployments, TDYs, airshows and in schools.


I'm sure those crew chiefs didn't air their drama in front of comm guys, either.

[jmig]

Panther,

This is after nine years of varying units and travelling the planet meeting other crew chiefs in on deployments, TDYs, airshows and in schools.


I'm sure those crew chiefs didn't air their drama in front of comm guys, either.

Having been around crew-chiefs a lot, I can testify that they have a tough and often unglamorous job. Any mistake on their part has the potential for the lost of a multi-million dollar aircraft and crew lives. The reality of life and war is that pressure is always on the crew chief/plane captain to have his/her plane ready when needed.

However, just like the pilot, who is the tip of the spear point is no better than the crew chief, who happens to own and loan his aircraft to the pilot, the Air Force/Navy cannot function with out all of its disciplines.

Be it cook, an SP guard, communication personnel, or munitions, we need all of them. I often drank with non-rated (slick chested to us) officers. We bitched together about the not so loved parts of our jobs. I knew Intel guys, with whom, I would never want to trade places. They worked their butts off. I also was told by maintenance officers of their trials and tribulations to get aircraft ready to fly.

[Panther_99FS]

Panther,

This is after nine years of varying units and travelling the planet meeting other crew chiefs in on deployments, TDYs, airshows and in schools.


I'm sure those crew chiefs didn't air their drama in front of comm guys, either.


Hmmm...
Well it's obvious that no matter what I say, I will be wrong in your eyes....Especially since as you've pointed out before, I'm just a lowly cyber guy......

[wombat666]

This is after nine years of varying units and travelling the planet meeting other crew chiefs in on deployments, TDYs, airshows and in schools.

Nine years!!!
And all that 'Hi-Tech' stuff!!!!
:jump::jump::jump:
Makes my thirty five plus years as a member of the PBI seem insignificant.
:173go1:

[tigisfat]

Nine years!!!
And all that 'Hi-Tech' stuff!!!!
:jump::jump::jump:
Makes my thirty five plus years as a member of the PBI seem insignificant.
:173go1:

What's the PBI?

Peace Brigades International?

[tigisfat]

Hmmm...
Well it's obvious that no matter what I say, I will be wrong in your eyes....Especially since as you've pointed out before, I'm just a lowly cyber guy......

Panther, I don't think I called you or suggested that you were a "lowly cyber guy". I thought you were in command staff or some similar numbered AF job now ayway? Do you still enjoy it?

[Panther_99FS]

Yes,
I'm still at NAF level - things are going good....

[wombat666]

What's the PBI?

Peace Brigades International?


"Poor Bloody Infantry".:173go1: